The arrow had entered his right shoulder from the back, directly beneath his collar bone, and made it three quarters of the way through his body before stopping. Knowing what they would have to do, the two women exchanged a grim glance.

“Shall I fetch one of the men?” her mother asked.

Iliana peered hopefully around as Angus bellowed toward a passing man, asking where Allistair was. The response was most disheartening. He had ridden out an hour before the attack. Iliana felt her heart sink as the man rushed toward the stairs, bow in hand, obviously heading to the wall to return some of the arrows that had been sent over the wall.

The situation looked grim. There were very few men left behind to defend the keep, and most had been left because they were either too old or too young to be of much use in battle. Every single one of them was taken up with fending off their attackers at the moment, which left the women alone to deal with their laird’s wound.

“My lady!” Ebba rushed down the stairs, Elgin and Janna on her heels. “Thank God you are all right. I was in the kitchen when Janna ran in shouting that we were under attack, and then when Elgin said that ye, yer mother, and Lord Angus were up on the wall I thought sure—Oh!” The last word was a gasp as she saw the arrow.

Pausing, she glanced over the two women once more to make sure that they, too, had not been injured, then whirled away, nearly running over Elgin and Janna as she charged back up the steps. “I shall fetch some linen to wrap the wound,” she cried breathlessly before disappearing back inside the keep.

“Ye’ll need fresh water,” Elgin decided, whirling to follow.

“What would you have me do?” Janna asked anxiously.

“Fetch Gertie. Have her bring her medicinals. Especially her sleeping potion.”

Nodding, the woman hurried to do her bidding, and Iliana glanced toward her father-in-law, slightly surprised to find him eyeing her suspiciously.

“What would ye be wantin’ a sleeping potion fer?”

“I thought to give it to you ere removing the arrow.”

“The hell ye will!”

“But we needs must push the arrow through the front to take it out.”

“I’ve been a warrior fer longer than ye’ve been alive, lass. I ken what ye have to do, but ye’ll do it with me awake. We are under attack. Me men need me.”

Iliana glared at him briefly, then heaved a sigh and gestured for her mother to take position in front of the man to help brace him, even as she moved behind. Grasping the arrow carefully in her sweaty hands, she paused and glanced at his pale face. “Ready?”

Angus braced his hands on his knees and started to nod, then shook his head. “I need some uisgebeatha first.”